Kiran Reddy battles for united Andhra Pradesh

On Friday, eve of 60th day of protests against the state’s division, chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy held a press conference appealing the Seema-Andhra employees and workers to call off their strike.

But by the end of the one-hour interaction here at his office-cum residence, Reddy himself attacked the Congress Working Committee’s decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh and showed his willingness to leave his post for the sake of Samaikhyandhra (united Andhra).

“I am ready to sacrifice the CM’s post in the overall interests of the state and the people,” Reddy said, stressing that his future was not more important than that of the coming generations of the state.

Maintaining that he was not challenging the party leaders, Reddy questioned their July 30 decision to form Telangana.

“If the CWC’s decision is engraved in stone, what about the commitments made by the Congress’s tallest leaders — Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi — towards united Andhra,” asked Reddy, stating that he had tried his best to persuade the CWC to annul the division.

Reddy cited the statement of Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh, who is in charge of Andhra Pradesh affairs and had remarked two days ago that he (Reddy) should act as chief minister of the entire state. “That is exactly my point. I am CM of united Andhra. And his statements only inspire me further to be like one.”

Reddy’s challenging tone since the Telangana decision led to speculation that he would quit.